Potion

A Potion (Japanese: キズぐすりWound Medicine) is a type of item from the Pokémon games. They can be used during or outside of a battle to restore a Pokémon's HP. They can often be found on the ground, whether readily visible or hidden from sight and requiring an Itemfinder to locate, and can be bought at most Poké Marts. They are also available in Wonder Launcher battles. Although the traditional RPG depiction of Potion is as a drink, in Pokémon, Potions appear to be topical, stored in spray bottles and applied to the skin.

Potions are available for purchase in the Shops of Ransei, healing the same amount of HP they do in the core series. Normal Potions and Super Potions can be found in any shop, but Hyper Potions can only be found in Level 2 or 3 shops, while Max Potions can only be found at fully leveled shops.

Potions can be used to heal damage the player's Pokémon receive during Gym battles, healing the same amount of HP they did prior to Generation VII. They can only be used outside of battle, including through the Gym interface immediately before a challenge.

Regular Potions can be obtained starting at level 5 (the same level when Gyms can be challenged) by searching PokéStops or Gyms. Super Potions become available starting at level 10, Hyper Potions at level 15, and Max Potions at level 25. All Potions are also available as rewards for leveling up, starting with Potions at level 5, which are replaced by Super Potions at level 10, Hyper Potions at level 15, and Max Potions at level 25. Max Potions can also be purchased with PokéCoins at the Shop.

In the anime

Cilan using a Super Potion on his Pansage

Potions have been used on occasion in the anime. Usually, Brock, Cilan, and Clemont carry them in their respective backpacks, and they use them to heal injured Pokémon. Potions seem to sting slightly whenever used, suggesting that they not only heal but sterilize the wound. Tracey has also been seen with some Potions that need to be taken orally. The most commonly used Potion in the anime is Super Potion.

In Here Comes the Squirtle Squad!, Pikachu obtained a serious injury from a Goldeen while being chased by the Squirtle Squad. He was captured, but suffering, so the Squirtle Squad allowed Ash to go free and get a Super Potion from the local town to heal Pikachu. This was the first episode of the anime wherein a Potion was mentioned.

Potion cardsCards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format.Cards listed with a silver background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.

Trivia

The only Potion that is not depicted as being stored in a spray-type bottle is the SecretPotion, which appears to be in kampo teapill form.

In the first and second generations, Max Potion and Full Restore were programmed to only heal 999 HP, rather than restoring the HP to maximum. This is because, as below, a Pokémon with more than 999 HP is not legitimately possible, and the highest HP a Pokémon can technically have is 703 with a level 100 Chansey (in Generation I), or 713 with a level 100 Blissey (in Generation II), both of which having an individual HP value of 15, and an HP effort value of 65,535 or higher. In later generations, this becomes 714 with an individual value of 31 and an effort value of 252 or higher.

Likewise, in early releases of Platinum, the Max Potion was mistakenly programmed to only heal 1,000 HP of damage (though a Pokémon with higher than 999 HP is not legitimately possible). This was fixed in later versions, which heal HP to 100%.

In Generation VII, of the Potions that heal a specific amount of HP (Potion, Super Potion and Hyper Potion), Potion is the most cost-effective at the normal price, as it is 1 HP per 10, while Hyper Potion is the worst with only giving 1 HP per 12.5, and Super Potion is in the middle with 1 HP per 11.67.

Prior to Generation VII, of the Potions that heal a specific amount of HP (Potion, Super Potion and Hyper Potion), Hyper Potion is the most cost-effective at the normal price, as it is 1 HP per 6, while Potion was the worst with only giving 1 HP per 15, and Super Potion is in the middle with 1 HP per 14.